Habits (Stay High)
by juggiejonessss
Summary: Betty Cooper and Jughead Jones always seem to end up in bed...with different people. ※※※ It's been five years, and after an eventful—and at the same time disastrous—night, both of them learned that secrets do have a funny way of getting out in the open
1. Chapter One: The Le Bain Nightclub

**THE UNIVERSE HAS A** funny way of bringing people together.

Couples who bumped into each other in the movies, soulmates who sat at the bench in the park together, friends who grew up in the same town together.

Every couple, whether there be or not be a romantic bond between the two, has a story to tell.

Betty and Jughead's story started in a club.

The Le Bain Nightclub is one of the most prominent bars in New York City, located on a rooftop with a splendid view of the city. From a hundred feet high, the buzz of the busy and stressing city life is drowned out by loud music and drunken conversations. Sweaty bodies were pressed up against each other, grinding together, intoxicated people crowding the nightclub.

Everyone was finding a way to escape, not from a dark room or an iron cage, but from the harshness and extremeties of reality.

There are many ways to find release. It may be under a partner's hand, driven by sexual desires. Or, it may be under the influence of alcohol, and that was exactly what Betty was doing.

※※※

 ** _BETTY_**

Elizabeth Cooper craved release. She had just arrived in New York City after she was kicked out by her own father, when she went against his wishes for her to become a lawyer and instead she pursued journalism. She took initiative in suggesting that she leave home and figure things out on her own, an offer which her father quickly agreed to. Obviously, Betty didn't think this through, because the second she arrived in New York City, she had driven straight to the nightclub and was drinking away her problems.

She didn't realize until she was kicked out that she had a little amount of money in her wallet.

She didn't realize until she was kicked out that she had no place to crash.

She didn't realize until she was kicked out that she would be completely alone, no support from her family, no friends to rely on, no one but herself to tell her that it would all turn out fine.

"What the fuck were you thinking?"Betty murmured to herself through gritted teeth, holding the glass of cosmopolitan delicately in her fingers. She had worn a skimpy red dress for the night, hoping the day would end with someone sweeping her off her feet and giving her some kind of release. That was all she wanted.

 _Release._

 ** _JUGHEAD_**

Jughead Jones wanted release too. Well, he wanted it, but never really craved for it. He didn't know what it was like to want something so much that he would do anything for it, he didn't know what it felt like to actually fight for something.

Sure, he fought for scraps of food and soup cans when he was younger, but it was different.

Usually, he would go out with his friends for a wild Friday night at the club, but since he moved to New York, he wandered around alone, looking for someone he could take home with him. Someone who could offer him release.

Jughead took a cab to the Le Bain nightclub, leaving his car back in the underground parking lot of his apartment building. He had been in New York City for a week already, and since then had been looking for a decent person who he could share his apartment with, which he has valid reasons to do so.

First of all, NYC isn't cheap. His apartment cost him a lot, and even though he has money stashed off in a secure bank account, he'd rather split rent with someone else and share rather than pay the whole bill all by himself and risk losing more money quicker than he anticipated.

Second, his apartment is big enough to shelter two people. Although Jughead liked keeping to himself and the darkness, the nights get lonely at times and he couldn't avoid the chills that ran down his spine as he laid in the dark. What was he supposed to do with all the extra and unnecessary space?

Lastly, Jughead sought companionship. He could have bought an apartment that's small enough just for himself, but the flicker of hope that ignited deep in his heart was inevitable. He could feel it right up to his fingertips—his thirst to have someone with and by him.

That was Jughead's release, companionship of any kind. It was similar to Betty's, who would accept just about any kind of release there is that is offered to her.

It was like the universe glitched, and everything crashed against each other. It worked its mysterious ways, and it was as if the world suddenly revolved around the two of them. Jughead's scrutinizing gaze scanned the entire area, until it stopped and fell on the blonde-haired that sat alone by the counter. He let his eyes linger on her figure longer than he was supposed to, watching as her fingers tapped lightly on the surface of the black marble counter and her drink nearly empty beside her hand.

Jughead thinks she's beautiful, the prettiest he's ever laid his eyes on, but he decided to keep any compliment to himself. He watched as she stared at the mirror wall across her, her fingers resting on the counter, her posture straightening as she crossed her legs together.

From then, it didn't take much time for Jughead to approach Betty, walking towards her in quick and long strides. His knitted grey beanie sat on top of his unruly raven black curls, taming its volume and matching the grey dress shirt he chose to wore to the club that night. Half an hour before he had gone to the club, he had nursed a glass of whisky, the alcohol becoming the main factor of his sudden burst of fortitude. He took a seat on the stool beside her, keeping his head up high, his gaze set on the wall across. Betty kept her head down, fingertips skimming the rim of her glass lightly.

 _What should I tell her? Should I just say "hey"?_

 _I'll sound like a creep. I look like a creep._

 _She's pretty. Does she have a boyfriend? Or a roommate? I need a girlfriend. And a roommate._

 _How is she so pretty?_

 _What if she thinks I'm a weirdo and runs away the second I say "Hi"?_

"Hey."

The word slipped out of Jughead's mouth before he could even gather his own thoughts together and work them out in his mind. A sudden chill ran down his spine and he remained silent, gulping silently as he waited for a response from the blonde. Jughead noticed her lift her head up, head tilting to her side to face hum, her eyes wandering around his face.

A lot of people aay that the silence is calming, but Jughead thinks it's bullshit. It isn't always calming—it certainly wasn't in that moment. It was bad and awkward.

 _She's not speaking. She thinks I'm a creep._

Jughead has given up all hope as he let out an inaudible sigh. The girl must think he was a douche for invading her privacy. A beautiful girl like her must be hoarded with guys if she wanted to, and could be deserted and isolated from everyone else if it was what she desired. He had already swung one leg off of the bar stool, footon the ground and more than ready to leave her alone.

But one word from her lips, and he's a goner.

"Hi."

That's all it took.

 ** _BETTY_**

Betty felt it when someone claimed the stool beside hers.

She knew there was a sudden change in the atmosphere—it wasn't the horrible kind of change, it was just strange. She wasn't sure what to expect in New York City, but she sure didn't expect herself to be in a bar late at night with someone possibly trying to flirt with her.

She had already considered getting up from her seat and leave right away, but for some reason, she stayed. To her, it felt like gravity wad pulling her down, keeping her still and she couldn't move her legs at all. She couldn't quite see the person who sat beside her, and there was a moment of uncomfortable silence between them.

 _Who is this person?_

She tried sneaking a glance, but from previous experiences, she's learned that she couldn't sneak one to anyone at all—she wasn't subtle enough to do those things, or at least she wasn't subtle enough to to get caught in the act.

What she knew, though, was that the person beside her was a man.

She could smell a hint of men's cologne in the air, and usually those liquids made her dizzy and lightheaded, but in that moment, it made everything fall into place, like everything was right.

 _Should I speak? If I do, what will I say? What if he thinks I'm boring? Or I'm not pretty enough?_

She lifted a hand up, and with a finger stetched, she traced the rim of her glass with the tip of her finger. She kept her gaze down, glued to her drink.

 _Is he going to talk? Or should I start?_

 _Is he shy? Maybe he thinks I'm too pretty and way out of his league, which is highly unlikely._

 _Or likely._

Betty had already parted her lips, ready to speak, or at least acknowledge his presence and greet him. Let him know that she's aware that he's there.

"Hey."

He spoke first.

Betty would be lying if she said she was shocked that he did. To tell the truth, Betty actually expected for him to initiate a conversation—no, as a matter of fact, she waited. She waited for him to speak, for him to say something to her. And he did.

It was the first time Betty had a good look at the guy, now that she had an excuse to do so without exerting any effort to be subtle. She was mesmerized by him the moment she saw him, enchanted the moment she met his cold gaze. Yes, cold—but as she looked deeper into the beautiful green storm that were his eyes, his gaze softened.

"Hi."Betty was tongue tied, unable to say more to him than she already did. She would love to get caught up in a staring contest with him more, but alas, the bartender approached them to ask if the man wanted something to drink.

"I'll have a Gin and Tonic, please."He said, breaking his gaze to nod appreciatively at the bartneder, a small smile on his lips. Betty wanted to slack her jaw at the tune of his voice, a sexy mix between low and seductive without having to exert much effort.

"Let me buy you a drink?"It came off more as a question than an actual statement, a suggestive tone in his voice, like he sought for her permission. Betty nodded as a response, taking her cosmopolitan and drinking the remaining content in one gulp. He snapped his fingers to get the bartender's attention.

"I'll have another Cosmopolitan for the lady, as well."

 ** _JUGHEAD_**

Jughead watched as she downed her drink in one gulp. The way she tilted her head back to accomodate her drink, the amount and expanse of her pale skin exposed to him as she drank—he wanted her.

He couldn't tear his eyes off of her, even when she had sat back straight and placed the empty glass on the counter. She tapped her pastel pink-manicured fingernails on the surface lightly, keeping her gaze on anyone but him.

"First time in New York?"He asked her, hoping it would be a good topic for a conversation and not some futile attempt for small talk. She couldn't help but snap her gaze to meet his, and he could almost hear her mind whine at her action, like she was doing such a great job at ignoring him up until the moment he spoke.

"Yeah."The blonde replied with a sigh. "I drove all the way from Riverdale this morning and arrived just a few hours ago or so. I've been going around places to kill time since then. What about you?"

"Me?"Jughead asked, choosing to ignore the bartender as he slipped their drinks beside them on the counter, moving quickly to attend to the needs of other customers. She shrugged her shoulders and took her drink, fingers touching the glass. "Is it your first time in New York?"

"Yeah."He replied, nodding. "I moved from Toledo to study Photography."It was the last thing Jughead expected he'd take up—growing up, he has always groomed himself to study Creative Writing and become a published author or English Literature so he could become a professor, but after his mother died after giving him an expensive camera as some sort ofgoodbye gift, he's got into photography instead.

All major preparations for him to be an author or a professor went down the drain as he picked up the camera and drove to a meadow where he shot pictures of it.

"Where will you study?"She asked him, both of them relieved that they were able to break the ice between them and start an interesting conversation.

"At the New York Academy of Art."Jughead answered, drinking half of his drink in one gulp before he put it back down where the bartender placed it. "Why did you come here? I'm guessing you're here for college too."

"Yeah, I've been accepted to Columbia University. I'm studying Investigative Journalism, and I plan on working with a firm and take on research work about...stuff."The blonde answered, a soft giggle escaping her lips at the end, a smile lighting up her face.

"Seems like you've got it all planned out."Jughead commented with a chuckle, holding his glass. "Other than to go to college, I don't have much plans for the future."

Jughead was wrong.

 ** _BETTY_**

Betty didn't have much planned out. All she knew was going to be a journalist, one way or another.

"Just because I'm set on being a journalist doesn't mean I've got my life planned out."She countered, taking a sip from her drink. "I don't want to rant about my problems, but I have a lot of them right now."She groaned. "That's why I'm here in this club."

"I have problems too, if that's any consolation."He replied, hoping it would give her slight comfort to know that she wasn't the only on stacked with problems. "You know what, you can rant to me all you want."

"I could?"Betty asked him with a light huff, hesitant about lettinghiminherlife. She felt that if she spoke to him more, she's opening up a part of herself for him to see. She felt like she was already making him involved in her life. "I just met you. I don't even know you."

"Jughead Jones."The raven-haired boy replied, stretching a hand out for Betty to shake. She didn't know what to feel first—confusion or laughter because his name, apparently, wasJughead. He seems to have read her mind, because as he sensed the lack of a response from her, he burst into a fit of laughter.

"Before you say anything about my name, I think it's just fair that you know that it's just a nickname."Jughead replied. "Only my family are the people who know my real name, and those who I love dearly."

"You don't seem like you love a lot of people."Betty told him, and Jughead shrugged, but he was in total agreement with her. "I don't."

Betty didn't want to push the topic more, afraid that he might tense up more than he already was, but she could tell that he wasn't the kind of man who you could easily love, nor did he seem like the kind of man to love easily. There was such a little amount of love in him, that he couldn't just share it with everyone he gets close to.

"What's your name, Princess?"He asked her, a cheeky smile on his lips. Betty blushed lightly at the nickname, the tinge of pink on her cheeks difficult to notice in the dim light of the club. She could feel herself get hot, feeling herself tingly. "Betty Cooper."She answered shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you."

"The pleasure's mine, Princess."There was it, that nickname again. Betty felt like she could explode. After they've withdrawn their hands back to themselves, ignoring the spark that remained ignited in their palms, silence settled over them once again, making Betty twist slightly on her stool.

"Besides attending Columbia University, I don't have anything else."Betty sighed, beginning to rant to clear the air between them. "I mean, I have my car and my stuff, but I have nothing else. I don't have a solid plan, I don't have money, I don't have food, a roof over my head—"

"I do."

Betty shot him an incredulous look. That was Jughead who said those last two words. Was he—no, he didn't mean that. But maybe he did, and if he did, how dare he say that?

"So, what, you just rub it into everyone's faces that you've got everything?"Betty asked in a voice of despite, crossing her arms over her chest as she cocked an eyebrow. Jughead narrowed his eyes, nlt quite getting what she was saying. "What? I'd never!"He protested.

"Well, it seems to me like you just did."

Jughead replayed their exchange of words in his head.

 _"Besides attending Columbia University, I don't have anything else. I mean, I have my car and my stuff, but I have nothing else. I don't have a solid plan, I don't have money, I don't have food, a roof over my head—"_

 _"I do."_

He really does.

"Look, I'm sorry if what I said came out the wrong way. I never meant to brag."He sighed apologetically, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration. "What I'm trying to say is that I do have all those, but I could share."He corrected himself, making sure that his clarification was clear enough. Betty stared at him in shock, eyes wide, lips parted slightly.

This was it for both of them, they could get what they want. A first solution to Betty's problems, and a person to satisfy Jughead's thirst for companionship.

A mutual relationship where both of them got what they wanted, or more.

"Share with me?"Betty asked another time to make sure she heard right. She didn't want to assum anything, and when Jughead nodded his reassurance, she knew she wasn't assuming or imagining anything. "If you want to, of course."He told her, hoping she would say yes.

She would.

"Live with me, please?"

※※※

 **BETTY COOPER AND JUGHEAD JONES** always seem to end up in bed...with different people.

It's just the way things were. They don't commit to people, to relationships, they don't do romance. All they know is that they have each other, they have a strong friendship, and that's all they need.

Betty and Jughead have been best friends and roommates for five years, turning to each other for companionship and support throughout those years since they've met.

Both of them have been developing feelings for each other, keeping them locked away deep inside themselves, a secret hidden from each other, but not from the watchful eyes that have watched them together.

It's been five years, and after an eventful—and at the same time disastrous-—night, both of them learned that secrets do have a funny way of getting out in the open.


	2. The Incognizant Life of Betty & Jughead

**FIVE YEARS HAVE PASSED** since Betty moved in with Jughead. She was a good roommate to him, just like he was a good roommate to her. They'd split rent, give their fair share for everything, they'd both help maintain the cleanliness of the apartment.

But of course, they weren't just roommates. In those five years they've known each other, both Betty and Jughead have realized that they were more alike than they initially thought they were when they first saw each other at the Le Bain Nightclub. They'd comfort each other whenever they felt down—Jughead rarely cried, so it was mostly him who was the 'shoulder to cry on'. They'd even get time off on most nights and cuddle at the couch together, eating whatever it is Betty cooked for both of them as they binge watched on Netflix.

Their friendship was the best thing that's even happened to both of them, and they were scared shitless that they might lose it if they confess to each other.

Which is why they won't confess.

It's easier that way.

※※※

 _ **JUGHEAD**_

She kept moaning his name in pleasure, and Jughead wasn't satisfied at all.

"Yes! Fuck, Jughead!"Jughead thinks her name is Cathleen, or something (it was Ethel, she told him earlier when she approached him at the bar). He had gone out to clear his head, waiting for Betty to arrive home from her trip to Riverdale to visit her other friends, Veronica and Archie. Ethel was the one who approached him, was the one who made the first move, and was the one who asked him to drag her back to his apartment—which he has shared with Betty for five years now—so they could have some _mind-blowing_ sex.

Those were her words, not his.

And from the looks of it, she was having mind-blowing sex. But Jughead was sure he wasn't.

There were times when Jughead would fake his orgasms so he could kick the ladies out sooner, and there were times when he would think of Betty when he was fucking someone else, and only the thought of her being the one with her legs spread under him was enough for Jughead to bring himself to completion. Like him, she would bring people—mostly men, sometimes one of each gender—home, and she'd fuck them in her room.

That's how it's been for the past five years. They'd end up in bed with other people, but never with each other. At least, not together in a sexual way.

It's always been platonic.

Jughead would often hear Betty screaming and moaning in her room, and he couldn't help but wish that he was the guy who made her come undone. He wanted to be the one who made her fantasies come alive, who made her writhe under him and made her scream in pleasure.

"Oh my god, Jughead!"Ethel whimpered, arms above her head, gripping on the headboard, which was barely slamming against the wall. Jughead thrusted into her in an even pace, leaning down to rest his head in the crook of her neck. He thrust deeper, harder into her wet heat, but there was still nothing. No release to chase.

He had been thrusting into her for over twenty minutes now, flipped them to three different positions, but there was still nothing. It's like his soul had parted from his body, and his physical body was on autopilot, wired to do whatever it was he would do if there was a woman under him.

"I'm so close, Jughead!"Jughead grunted as a response, hoping it was enough for her to think she was pleasuring him just as much as he was pleasuring her. She had orgasmed six times already in the one hour he's had her in his apartment, and he hasn't. Not even once.

Earlier that night she went down on him, after he's gone down on her, but he actually pulled her head away from him and pushed her to the bed and started fucking her instead.

"Fuck, come on, cum for me."Jughead grunted, one hand reaching down to rub fast circles on her clit, not even caring anymore. Her walls were clamping around his length, gripping onto him as he thrusted fully into her, barely letting him go. _Just fucking cum already, and we can get this over with and you can leave,_ Jughead wanted to tell her, but he would be a complete asshole if he said that to her, considering that he hasn't done so much of an effort to even remember what her name was—he still thinks it was Cathleen.

"I-I don't think I can,"Ethel winced, feeling her climax so close, but so far away from reach. She wanted to thrash around, but Jughead has her pinned down. And he's told her to keep her hands were he put them, which were above her head, if she knows what's good for her.

Jughead growled. _What the heck is this woman's problem? Can she just cum so I can politely kick her out and I could take a shower and hopefully cum in there?_

"Yes you can, now cum."Jughead had slipped further into his dominant self, his tone dangerous, and if Ethel wasn't so aroused by it, his tone would've made her curl up in terror and run. But, if anything, it only turned Ethel on more.

"Oh fuck! Juggie!"Jughead cringed at the nickname, fingers assaulting her sensitive nub of nerves in an attempt to finish her off as soon as possible. It seemed to work, because her pussy only clenched arond him more, gripping onto his length tightly as her orgasm washed over her. Jughead stilled from his thrusting and let out a deep grunt, pretending to cum as well. He can pull off a fake orgasm, especially since he's worn a condom and she won't notice it was fake. She'll just think that he emptied himself into the condom.

 _Fucking hell, can you leave now?_

Jughead pulled out of her quickly and stood up, grabbing his robe and put it around him. Ethel remained on his bed, her legs still spread, her body spasming from her multiple orgasms. Jughead walked over to the bathroom and disposed of the condom nonchalantly, as if nothing happened, like his cock wasn't just buried inside a woman seconds ago. He tied the robe around himself to cover himself, leaning against the threshold connecting his bathroom and bedroom. Ethel showed no intention to move.

"That was...amazing."Ethel breathed out in pants, attempting to catch her breath from all their activities. "We should do it again."Ethel said excitedly, bouncing on her knees on the bed, all energy rushing back to her.

Jughead shook his head, sighing softly in reply. "I can't."He told her, as politely as he could. It makes him look less of a jerk. Ethel's face slacked in disappointment, the sadness evident on her face. "Oh, why not?"She asked him.

"My roommate is coming back in an hour."He said, grabbing her clothes for her and set it on the bed beside her. "I need to clean up the place."It was a half-lie. Betty was indeed arriving home in an hour or less, but he didn't need to clean anything up. Everything was always in its place, and everything was clean.

Ethel didn't question him. She picked up her clothes and got up from the bed, dressing herself again with the clothes she's worn earlier that night. Jughead disappeared into the bathroom, closing the door behind him, staring at himself in the mirror. He wanted to punch something—he was still hard, and that was because he was still thinking about Betty.

As much as he wanted to keep his hands off of her because she was like his sister already, but his body can't deny the attraction he has for her. It wasn't just attraction, though. It was something more, he just wasn't sure what it was.

"Jughead?"Ethel called out, snapping Jughead away from his thoughts. He let out a sigh as he stepped out of the bathroom, seeing her fully clothed already, hair tied into a messy bun. "I'll show you out."He said, already walking out of the door with ethel following behind him, leading her back to the front door. Jughead swung the door open, stepping aside to let Ethel go. She stood there, frozen.

Ethel didn't want to go. None of the girls Jughead fooled around with wanted to go. Everyone knew that both Betty and Jughead rarely sleep with the same person more than once, everyone knew they always picked up random people at random places and they end up in bed. But even if everyone knew that, everyone was willing to take the risk and spend at least a night with either of them. But of course, they all thought one night would be enough.

But it wasn't.

One night leaves you wanting more, and it also leaves a stab in the heart because you know that the one night you had was all you could get.

Unless you're lucky. There's a reason it's called a One-night Stand.

"You'll call me some time?"Ethel asked, willing to cling onto every single thread of hope, if there is hope left. Jughead stared at her, unsure of what to say in response to her. He rarely called them back, normally, if he did, it was to ask for a favor.

"Yeah."Was all he managed to say, before Ethel gave him a smile and a nod content with his response and now more confident in herself as she exited the apartment. Jughead closed the door as soon as she stepped outside, rushing to the bathroom so he could finish himself off in the shower.

He stripped himself from the robe he had on and stepped straight into the shower, turning the warm water on and he let it run down his skin. He stood under the showerhead for a solid five minutes, eyes closed, before his hand begun to form a fist around his cock, giving his thick length a few strokes, thumb circling the tip which already had precum gathering on it.

"Shit,"Jughead's breath was ragged, one hand pumping his hard cock and the other with his palm flat against the tiled wall, maintaining his balance as he felt himself get closer to his release.

Thoughts of Betty hit him like a fucking truck.

As soon as Betty filled his mind, the knot that was otherwise known as his orgasm began to form in the pit of his stomach, his hand beginning to pump faster and harder on around his cock.

"Fuck! Betty!"He grunted out deeply, throwing his head back in pleasure, eyelids shut tight with images of Betty stuck in his head. Betty, with her blonde hair splayed around her head like a golden halo, her bare chest flushed red like her cheeks and presented as a blank canvas he could paint marvels on with his tongue, her legs wrapped around his hips and urging him to bury himself deeper inside of her—

"Oh god! Yes! Fuck,"Jughead muttered incoherently, his hand only stroking his hard cock faster, until he let out a loud moan and thick ropes of his hot, white cum spurted out of his cock, some of it landing on the floor, some on the walls, and some splattered across his hand.

Jughead was panting, struggling to catch his breath as he fisted himself slowly, up and down, working himself through his orgasm, hips bucking and snapping against his hand. He imagined it was Betty's hips, snapping against his when in reality it was just his hands and mostly thin air.

Jughead was wet—he wasn't sure anymore of the droplets that decorated his body composed the thin layer of sweat that has formed on his skin as he masturbated, or if it was the water from the showerhead, which washed away his sweat.

"I'm so screwed."Jughead sneered at himself, letting go of his cock and picked up the loofah and poured an adequate amount of liquid body soap on it, scrubbing the stench of sex off of him. He wouldn't want to make it obvious to Betty that he's been fucking someone else right before she arrived home. He could still remember the night when all this started—all the one night stands and late night booty calls.

Betty and Jughead had gone out to celebrate the end of the semester, deciding they'd waste the night away in a bar that's ten minutes from their apartment. One second, she was telling him she'd be going to the bathroom to powder her nose despite his protests that she didn't need to, and the next thing he knows is that she's sent him a text saying that she won't be spending the night in their apartment, but rather in someone else's.

Jughead felt so heartbroken that night, so heartbroken that he didn't realize until later on that the reply he's sent to her was just as stupid as the text she's sent him.

 _That's alright. I was planning on bringing a girl home anyways._

 _ **BETTY**_

Jughead didn't know this, but Betty was heartbroken too that night.

The guy she went home with that night was a guy named Trevor, who, in fact, was a sweet guy. She had tripped on her back to Jughead and was caught by him, and what was supposed to be her treating him one drink as a show of gratitude turned into him offering her to head over to his apartment. Betty sent Jughead the text that she wasn't going home—Trevor didn't say anything about doing anything sexual, and so Betty didn't plan on doing anything with him, at least anything that's remotely close to any kind of sex.

 _Hey, I met someone, won't be going home tonight xx_

It was after she read his reply that Betty's heart was crushed and she had nothing left in her heart. Jughead didn't want her, what's the point of having a heart that loves romantically? Since then, it's always been sex for them, individually, and with other people.

Betty still thought about that night, and once again found herself thinking about it as she drove her car back home (to Jughead).

 _He must have had another girl over while I was gone_ , She thought to herself, remembering how she had driven back home the day after that night and got back just i time see him bidding the girl goodbye, subtly waving at her as she walked further down the hallway. She remembers that girl's name as clear as Jughead remembers Trevor Brown—the girl's name was Toni Topaz.

 _Who has he brought into his bed this time?_ She wondered with a sigh, but felt a pang of guilt in her chest. He must be thinking the same about her, whose bed she's ended up on in her trip. She can't blame him for thinking that, nor could she get mad at him for doing so.

This time she's managed to go screw a guy who was named Sweet Pea.

 _Why do you keep doing this, Elizabeth? Why can't you just walk straight up to him and tell her how you feel and ask if he feels the same way. He'll give you an honest answer, for sure._

She wonders if he's thinking of the same thing.

 _ **JUGHEAD**_

Jughead was heating up some of his leftover pizza from the night before. It was just past eleven, nearly an hour after his encounter with Ethel—though he still thinks she's named Cathleen. He had already deleted her number from his contacts, not wanting to contact the girl again, and for some reason it makes him feel like some kind of hero.

He did just save her from the heartbreak monster machine named Jughead Jones.

If Jughead tried getting in touch with her, she'd think he liked her even the slightest bit and that she would get her hopes up until Jughead finally decides that he's in love with Betty Cooper.

"Love."He muttered to himself, staring at the blank wall across him, frozen on his seating position on the couch. He didn't know what love is, romantically, or something. All he knew was that couples always announce how much they are in love with one another.

"Love?"

At that same moment, the doorbell rang, and Jughead's attention snapped to the front door. One more ring later, he was on his feet, bolting to the front door to welcome Betty back into their home. She had been gone only for four days, but to Jughead it felt an eternity.

"Betts!"Jughead was first to greet her, reacting quicker than she did. Her breath was taken away as soon as the door opened, and Jughead stood in front of her with a look that says something about him loving her or something. He had a wide, genuine smile on his face, and it warmed Betty's heart.

"Juggie!"Betty giggled softly and wrapped her arms around his torso, feeling the hard planes of his chest and front against hers. His arms were around her too, with him standing at a protective stance. Jughead buried his face in her blonde hair, inhaling her scent, etching the details of it into her head.

"I missed you."

"I missed you too."


End file.
